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Many postmenopausal women feel that their life doesn’t have much to offer. For many reasons it looks to these women like everyone else is having the good time. Take heart! Your value in life is not determined by your ability to have children. Many professions need someone with all the experience you have had in managing a household and family. If you haven’t been a wife or a mother, you still have gained wisdom and insight from what you’ve been doing all these years. This isn’t something that can be taught. It comes from living.

Once you come to accept and appreciate yourself, you are freer to do the same for others. When you can forgive your own faults and delight in how you are made, you will be more tolerant and appreciative of your family, friends, and co-workers.

You may need to start re-building yourself from the core out. If you think you are of little value, you will have trouble seeing where you fit with your family, job, and the rest of the world. A helpful tool to use is to consider "The Three A’s"--Assess, Accept, and Appreciate.

ASSESS--First, take an inventory of who you are and what you have to offer to everyone important to you. Make at least four lists. Add to these lists over several days. Then sit back and take a good look at the special person that you are.

My Strengths and Abilities

Things I like to Do

What I Want to Accomplish Before I Die

What I Have to Give

ACCEPT--As you consider all that makes you, come to terms with the parts you don’t like. Change what you can and accept the rest. For instance, height is something we can’t change--it’s time to accept it. But our weight is something within our control. If you are overweight, you can change that.

APPRECIATE--Appreciate who you are. That doesn’t mean you are proud. True humility is acknowledging that God made you who you are and gave you what you have. Recognizing your abilities and positive qualities makes you better balanced than if you belittle yourself. To confidently know and use your strengths--while giving credit where credit is due--also gives more honor to your Creator than to criticize and demean yourself.

Now that you’ve begun to assess, accept, and appreciate you’re ready for action! You’re ready to fill that place that’s available for you.